BEIRUT, Nov 14 (Reuters) – Lebanon detained on Monday a Lebanese Muslim cleric accused of carrying out acts of terrorism on the orders of a Syrian intelligence officer, a judicial source said. The source said the Syrian officer had ordered Sheikh Hassan Mazloum to carry out bomb attacks and shootings in Lebanon, but did not give details on the attacks. Lebanon detained six men on the same charges last week and the source said other suspects were still on the run. A string of bombings and assassinations has rocked Lebanon since the February killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, fuelling fears the country was sliding into chaos.

Syria ended its three-decade military presence in Lebanon in April, bowing to world pressure and mass protests over Hariri’s killing. Many Lebanese blame Hariri’s murder on Damascus and fear it is also behind other attacks. Syria denies any role. Syria’s intelligence agencies were key enforcers of Damascus’s grip on Lebanese politics and security from the days of the 1975-1990 civil war. Military magistrate Rasheed Mizher issued the arrest warrant after questioning Mazloum, the source said.